Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

SEC Power Rankings: Can anyone challenge UK?

UK coach John Calipari speaks to the media after UK's 100-58 win over Texas A&M.

Buy Photo

UK's Bam Adebayo grabs the ball during the University of Kentucky basketball game against Texas A&M at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. (Photo: Mike Weaver/Special to The Courier-Journal)Buy Photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Everybody expected conference play to go Kentucky's way, but so far the Wildcats have been far more dominant than anybody logically could have been predicted.

Ole Miss has a new arena and is taking basketball seriously. Texas A&M reached the Sweet 16 last season and has an imposing frontline.

Kentucky embarrassed both, winning by 23 in Oxford last week and crushing the Aggies' soul in a 100-58 victory on Tuesday.

Ken Pom has Kentucky favored in the remaining 14 Southeastern Conference contests, and, except for a trip to Florida, the Wildcats hold an 80 percent chance or higher in each game.

That doesn't bode well for the rest of the league, but let's rank these fools anyway for the first edition of the SEC Power Rankings.

1. Kentucky (12-2, 2-0): Duh.

2. Florida (11-3, 2-0): The Gators are certified next-best after beating Arkansas last week in Fayetteville. A road kill like that is the way you earn respect around here.

3. South Carolina (11-3, 1-0): Speaking of road kill, the Gamecocks won in Athens against Georgia last night. PJ Dozier and Sindarius Thornwell, who returned against the Bulldogs after serving a five-game suspension, are part of the second-best backcourt in the conference.

4. Arkansas (12-2, 1-1): The inside-outside punch of Moses Kingsley and Dusty Hannahs has me giving the Razorbacks a bump up the list. But Ken Pom gives Arkansas a 7 percent chance against Kentucky in Rupp Arena Saturday and there's that home letdown to the Gators. That will keep Arkansas from the top-end of this list.

5. Texas A&M (8-5, 0-2): A loss to Tennessee at home doesn't make sense... And while a loss at Kentucky is acceptable, are the Aggies really 42 points worse than the Wildcats? Next up is a trip to South Carolina, but after that, Texas A&M can get right with a four-game stretch featuring LSU, Mississippi State and Arkansas and Georgia at home.

6. Georgia (9-5, 1-1): Forward Yante Maten (20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds) is the best chance for a non-Kentucky player to win conference Player of the Year. Remember the last time a Bulldog won POY? Mark Fox and Georgia missed the NCAA tournament the season Kentavious Caldwell-Pope won it in 2013. Seems strange to say out loud, but really, that could happen again.

7. Vanderbilt (8-6, 2-0): The Commodores had a miserable out-of-conference run, but props for holding serve against the dreg-like LSU and falling-off-fast Auburn.

8. Alabama (8-5, 1-0): Ultimately, a win over Mississippi State will not mean much. But, it sure beats losing one like that. And, hey, Alabama has a top-five recruiting class on the way. I'm going to mention that every week as long as it lasts.

9. Auburn (10-4, 0-2): When you're hot, you're hot. And when you're not, you really stink. The Tigers surprised with OOC wins over Oklahoma and UConn and then died after building a double-digit lead and losing at home to Georgia. They showed up in Nashville against Vanderbilt and died again.

10. Tennessee (8-6, 1-1): Credit this bunch for playing North Carolina, Gonzaga and Arkansas tough. The Vols lost those games, but proved they care to scrap and aren't an easy out. Florida and South Carolina are the next tests of the heart.

11. Ole Miss (9-5, 0-2): How fair was it for the Rebels to start the conference slate with Kentucky and Florida? It is clear Ole Miss isn't near that level, but it can move up this list a few spots in the coming weeks. That's more of a statement about other SEC teams than the Rebels, for the record.